India is well-known for its diverse ethnicity and religious group in the World. There are more than 2000 castes, 8 religions, 15 different languages spoken in all over India. However, India is not behind the ethnic and religious conflict.
Hindus Vs. Muslims
Back until 1947, India ( known as Jewel in Britian’s Crown) was ruled by British. After Independence in India, another major problem arises- bitter division between Hindu and Muslims. As a result, India was divided into two independent countries in terms of their religion- India and Pakistan. Majority of people in India were Hindus and in Pakistan were Muslims. However, the division of land, creation of borders led to another problem. There were Hindus living in Pakistan and Muslim living in India. People struggled to get into the nation of their religions. There was violence all over those two nations- killing more than 500000 people. Moreover, border conflict of Jammu- Kashmir was another problem of India and Pakistan. Even if majority of people in Jammu-Kashmir were Muslims, India was given the control of Jammu-Kashmir. However, it does not follow the constitution of India rather it has its own constitution. Even though India and Pakistan has signed a truce establishing peace, there is still war going on over Jammu Kashmir.[1]
Conflict in Assam
Moreover, there is an ethnic conflict within India. For instance, Assam is one of the state in India that faced conflict in the name of ethnicity. There are three ethnic groups; Assamese, Bengalis (native to the land of Bengal i.e West Bengal and Bangladesh) and local tribes(Bodos-largest tribes). Bengalis Muslims came from Bangladesh back in British colonial era as a slave.But after British rule was over, the Bengalis didn’t leave Assam but rather settle in the land that were unsettled. As a result, Bengalis started working in high pay professions and they grew in numbers. [2] There was violence and destruction between Bodo and Bengalis. The Nellie massacre in 1983 is known as one of severe massacre after world war ii where nearly 1800 Bengali-Muslims were killed by Lalung tribe. [3]
Sikh Vs. Hindu
Another Example is Sikh-Hindu conflict in Punjab. In Punjab, Sikhs are a majority, Hindus, a minority. Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India at the time, ordered an attack on the temple when the negotiation to the surrender of Bhindranwale(Sikh Preacher) and his men failed. The attack killed thousands of Sikhs. As a retaliation, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two Sikh bodyguards. Official figures claim there were only 1,000 casualties, but most estimates put the number of civilian casualties around 5,000. Approximately 700 soldiers from the army were reported killed. Bhindranwale and his followers were killed. Of the people said to be in the temple on the day of the attack, only 1,300 were part of armed groups. The other 10,000 were civilians. [4] This lead to 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms in Delhi, government and police officials aided Indian National Congress party worker gangs in “methodically and systematically” targeting Sikhs and Sikh homes. As a result of the pogroms 10,000–17,000 were burned alive or otherwise killed, Sikh people suffered massive property damage, and at least 50,000 Sikhs were displaced.[5]
REFERENCES
Image Source[3]http://www.sikh24.com/wp-content/uploads/1984_Policemen_after_bibi.jpg
[2]http://www.hafsite.org/media/pr/indian-state-assam-origins-and-causes-conflict
[3]http://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/26/world/peace-fragile-in-assam-a-year-after-carnage.html
[4]https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~aschadwi/World%20Politics%20Website/page4.html